Piaggio announced it will bring all four of those models to North America, though as yet only the California has a launch date, set for fall 2012. The SRV850 will likely arrive at the same time, if not earlier, as the scooter has already been launched in Europe.

European correspondent Tor Sagen was at the launch event in Italy and he submits his first impressions of what Piaggio calls the world’s most powerful scooter:

I’m just back from Porto Ercole in Tuscany, Italy where Aprilia have launched its superbike styled maxi-scooter SRV850. It is the undisputed heavyweight champion in a segment no one else have dared thread yet.

Piaggio’s Gilera GP800 of course was the first with this 839cc V-twin engine but that project is now dead and Piaggio have shifted the engine completely over to Aprilia where its found in the Mana and now the SRV850. Claiming 75 horsepower on tap and 56.3 ft-lb. of torque, Piaggio is calling the SRV850 the fastest, most powerful scooter ever made.

The SRV850 handles like a scooter but with great stability. It takes a while to get used to though and I didn’t feel desperately eager to push it towards any sort of limit until the second half of the day.

When you get your head around just how much torque the engine develops at early rpm and get some feel with the tires and suspension the SRV850 is a great sports scooter. I have never left rubber out of fairly fast corners on a scooter before but today that happened!

There is a problem with feedback though and that’s why it took me a while to get fully to grips with how fast you can ride the SRV850. If you want to compare you could say that jumping straight on this from a 125cc scooter is the same as jumping onto a Hayabusa straight from a 125cc sportbike.

Despite its 249 kilo (549 lb.) dry weight the SRV850 carries hefty punch in a very smooth and sort of disguised way due to the very smooth variable transmission. It’s definitely both smoother and more powerful than the latest BMW twin engined scooters. The SRV850 is sadly lacking in the practical areas and I’ll tell you all in my full review.

Suggested Readings

Get Motorcycle.com in your Inbox

Ted Chittenden

What will this beast be priced at? I must have this thing!!!!!!

Dale Ordes

That last sentence in the pre-review of the Aprilia 850 hints that this maxi-scooter still has the poor handling characteristics of most of the big scoots. They all go fast and with great acceleration, but they wiggle at speed — like sitting in an arm chair at 80 mph. This goes for the 650 Burgman and the Honda Silver Wing — lots of pep but erratic at speed and corners. According to the review in this space on the forthcoming BMW maxi-scooter — the Beemer performs well at high speed. so it can be done! Most likely, the Aprilia 850 has not yet solved the problem of scooters at speed. I wait for the final review on this space. Let us know, please.

Bill Ong

Sure looks like a scooter I would buy even with the tiny non-adjustable wind screen and poor storage space. However the nearest dealers is a 150 miles away and in another state. I guess they are only interested in a few dealers. Evan Chicago doesn’t have a dealer.
Disappointed Bill

Ted Chittenden

I had a burgman 650, and never experienced any woble at any speed. The burg is a great machine, but did not have the hp I wanted riding 2 up. i traded my 05 burgman for a new gl1800, and didn’t look back until jnow. The srv 850 is a whole new ball game, and I cannot wait to start playing. I still have a new goldwing and an 0i Star stratoliner S. What a machine this star bike is.

Ted Chittenden

WHY WON’T YOU GUYS ANSWER MY QUESTIONS? WHAT WILL THIS SCOOTER BE PRICED AT, AND WHEN IS THE INTRO DATE TO THE US? A LITTLE COOPERATION HERE PLEASE!

Last summer I had the greates ride from New York City to Portland,OR and back in my 2007 Burgman 650. No wiggle at all and some segment of the ride I got at a speed of 105mlh. I put over 7000 Ml to my Scooter in two weeks. I can weit to do the same in the 850 Aprilia.

Patxi Sable

I am sure the price will be competitive with the Burgman and BMW scooters.

Ted Chittenden

What a crock of poop this anouncement is! Piaggio is doing nothing but stirring the pot here. They are not serious about introducing their latest products into the US, or we would have heard a lot more than the initial announcement months ago. What a bunch of JERKS!!

To be fair, Piaggio traditionally doesn’t announce their North American offerings until around October-November. They only just last week announced the 2013 Moto Guzzi offerings for the U.S. There’s also a new Piaggio design center located in California so things should improve in the near future.

Ted Chittenden

Mr Chung, why the delay in announcing the US priceing for the SRV850? This scooter has no competition on the planet!!

Again, Piaggio usually doesn’t announce the prices until late in the year. I wouldn’t call it a delay at this point. If Piaggio had announced pricing by now, it would have been considered early.

Ted Chittenden

Well Dennis, hopefully the delay is due to production shortages. This bike has to be really hot in Europe! I suppose a little more patience on my behalf is in order, Ya think?

Ted Chittenden

BOO BOO BOO. STILL NO ANOUNCEMENT!

carew

Don’t be patient Ted, I love your tantrums! I’ve found proof that the SRV850 is available in the States but little proof that it’s available here in Canada, not that I could afford one anyway. The performance sounds VERY exciting but the lack of storage space is a bit troubling, especially since my Burgman 650 has kind of spoiled me in that way.

Bill Retired

I don’t think the SRV is going to be sold in the USA. There are no announcements as of April 7, 2013. I’m beginning to wonder if there is such a bike. No local dealers to check either. They are all so far away it takes 4 days for them to receive an e-mail – and then it needs translated.
Bill – retired

We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests.
We use data about you for a number of purposes explained in the links below. By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of data and cookies.
Tell me more |
Cookie Preferences